


the light at the end of the drive (kuroo x reader)

by ronnie_ao3



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Domestic Bliss, Eventual Romance, F/M, Rich Kuroo Tetsurou, dog-sitting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25874674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ronnie_ao3/pseuds/ronnie_ao3
Summary: strapped for funds, you jump on a job position offered in a private advertisement at the first opportunity. who would have thought that dog-sitting could result in you meeting a certain young, handsome, wealthy businessman - Kuroo Testurou.they say a dog is a man's best friend, but could this slobbery fluff-ball also be the key to Kuroo's heart?
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 72





	1. meeting hugo

"Name?"

Your feet tapped restlessly against the floor; a nervous tic, but what could you do? Interviews always got you like this.

Stuttering out your given name, the shrewd-looking woman nodded curtly.

"Resume?"

The piece of paper was handed over to her, and you did your best to keep your hands from shaking.

Your pits were sweating, you just knew it. Thank God you remembered deodorant this morning - or did you? No, you did, you remember swiping it on - it's the Fiji Old Spice one, you always get the men's one because the women's always smell like baby powder and no one likes -

"So it looks like you have extensive prior experience taking care of various charges."

You blinked, before smiling nervously. 

"Would you say you get along well with kids?" 

Her voice grated against your ears, and you internally prayed for it to stop, but readied an acceptable answer.

"Yes, I get along well with children. Always have, it's a pleasure to watch over them and help them acquire real-life experience while their parents are away."

The woman gave you another shrewd look, but there was an odd gleam in her eye; was she pulling your leg? Was this all a joke? The atmosphere in the interview-room was nothing like what you'd felt before - the usual friendly coolness was replaced with what felt like straight-up malice, or at least humor.

You didn't know why, but you knew something was going on.

"That's good to hear. The master doesn't want haphazard supervision, for the amount he'd be paying."

Your ears perked up at that; not that salary mattered all that much to you, but it'd be nice to put some money towards your mom's sick bills. Health insurance is a bitch, and never seems to cover the bills that matter. 

"Well, there won't be any slacking off on my end, I can guarantee that." You swore the woman smiled ever so slightly, but it was gone as soon as you'd registered it, so you weren't sure.

"Good, then. You start Monday."

You nearly choked on your spit, spluttering as a grin curled onto the woman's lips, and you saw her for the first time - really saw her. She was middle-aged, with silvery hair and a pinched face; wrinkly, and tanned from years of weathering the sun, but not leathery. You supposed her salary was enough to maintain her skin, as well as her seemingly expensive wardrobe tastes.

Her emerald pantsuit was stylish, and oddly fitting despite her age. Tutting at your spluttering, she extended a manicured hand, equally tanned, and you caught a whiff of her pleasant perfume.

"Welcome aboard, chickie."

"R-Really?"

A curt nod, accompanied by a friendly smile, met your confused face as you shook her hand.

"Name's Ellen."

"N-Nice to meet you." 

Suddenly, Ellen stood, and you scrambled to follow her as she seemed to glide out of the small office into the hall. You could see your car through one of the windows - it was a comfortingly familiar sight, and its red coat of paint was a stark contrast against the dull beige walls of the guardhouse you and Ellen were in.

"We always conduct our interviews at the guardhouse, but since you're hired, I'll show you the main house - as well as your living quarters." 

Blinking, you furrowed your brow, racking your brains as to what the advertisement had originally said about the job position. 

_Wanted: Child-Experienced Individual_

_Live-In **Only** , 24-Hour Service _ **_Required_ **

You deadpanned. You'd practically raced to the phone to call the number, desperate for a job, and had hardly seen the bold words below. Ah, well, live-in wasn't so bad, it was nice having a home provided _with_ the job itself. Still...you were surprised they'd hired you so quickly; this was the first interview, you were expecting at least a second one before they called back.

"Can I ask..." You started, jogging to keep up with Ellen's quick pace. She cut you off, pausing in the gravel path to look over at you, "...why I was so quick to hire you when I don't know much about you?"

You marveled at her intuition, but nodded as you two set off once more. A lush green lawn straddled the dark grey of the gravel driveway, which twisted off into the distance - where you assumed the 'main house' would be. The area was littered with well-manicured trees, and patches of vibrantly-colored flowers were strategically placed, filling the air with their perfume. 

Spring was here, and it showed. Especially in such a swanky, upper-class residence like this, where landscapers likely showed up twice a week to flounce the shrubbery and verify that every flower was at its best and brightest.

"Well, the master was acquainted with your father before he passed. It seems your father was one of his high-school teachers, or something of the sort."

"Really?"

"So it seems. And the master had heard of your father's passing, so upon hearing your name as one of the contenders for the job position, he seemed to have his mind made up already."

"But I don't even know him. How does he know I'm any good at what I do?"

"I suppose one would call it a leap of faith, but I wouldn't take his generosity too lightly; his young one is the most important thing in the world to him, not having a wife or partner to share his life with. Slacking off won't earn you any favors."

You chewed on this information as the pair of you furthered down the path; turning a corner, you saw a large, regal-looking manor, sitting in a foreboding manner at the end of the drive. A soft gasp escaped your lips, and Ellen chuckled at your reaction. It was truly beautiful, its stone walls almost making it appear cold, if it weren't for the modern finishings of the windows and doors. 

You thought of your mother's home, how small and starkly contrasting it was in comparison to this massive grounds. She was currently in-hospital, so the little duplex was abandoned for now. Your heart had clenched when Ellen had mentioned your father's death; two years had passed already, but it still felt like a fresh wound, open and stinging when even the slightest breeze passed over.

Your mother had fallen ill shortly after his passing, with you taking the responsibility of being her primary caregiver. Having this job would certainly make things much easier, financially, for the two of you.

"This is the main house, it is where the master and the little one reside. The master works for the greater part of the day, though he's home at odd times, as his work revolves around sports promotion, which isn't exactly your typical nine-to-five."

Nodding, you watched Ellen unlock the front door, ushering you inside. Your eyes roved around the interior, and your first thought was, "Man, those ceilings are high."

The walls were white, the floor hard-wood, and the furniture well-placed. You weren't sure if 'the master' simply had good taste, or if he had hired interior designers to decorate the space. A beautiful tapestry hung on the west wall, drawing attention to the artful staircase.

"We'll just pass through for now, your quarters are in the back area."

"Oh, like the back of the house?"

Ellen laughed.

"No, no, let me show you."

You allowed Ellen to guide you straight-through to the back door of the house, a sliding glass door. You got a glimpse of the kitchen, an office-looking room, and a laundry room on your way, but knew there were plenty other rooms on the first floor you missed. 

Ellen slid the door open, stepping onto the back patio. You did as well, and your eyes widened at the 'backyard'. It was a large expanse of grass, a sea of green, seeming to swallow up the Earth around it. You had never seen such a large 'backyard' in your life.

You frowned at what appeared to be a volleyball net off to the left, squinting at it. It almost seemed out of place, among the elegant-looking landscape.

"Being part of the national volleyball league's staff, as well as former captain of the volleyball team at his high school, the master has a fondness for the sport and often has his old playmates over to practice."

That made you smile fondly. You didn't even know the man, but it was sweet that he kept with the sport; you, yourself, used to play in high school, and even a little in college. Your coach had made you an opposite the second he realized you were ambidextrous, and could hit well with your left hand.

"You see over by the trees, on the edge of the woods?" 

Ellen was pointing directly across the lawn, to the edge of what did appear to be woods. You gaped at the trees, how tall and regal they appeared, and felt slightly intimidated at they way they stood together to form a dark mass.

But, you did see what Ellen was pointing to - it was a white cottage with a tan roof, and it sat bright against the darkness of the forest beyond, almost defying it. 

"Yeah, the cottage?"

"That's where you'll be staying."

You gulped.

"By the woods?" 

"Nothing's in the woods, save for a few deer. The land beyond is owned by the master, he often embarks on hikes and the like."

You looked warily at the cottage, not liking how close it was to the dark abyss of the trees. 

"I'll get you keys to the main house and the cottage when we return to the guardhouse, and you'll be able to move in anytime before Monday. Of course, you have access to the main house and everything on the first floor, including the kitchen and its contents. There's a small kitchen in the cottage, but it's not as updated as the main house's."

You nodded, glancing up at the sky, noting the position of the setting sun. You unconsciously check your watch. 

_'5:17pm'_

Ellen noticed your actions, smiling at you as you looked back up.

"I'll wrap things up, I've kept you a while."

"Oh, you're alright! I'm supposed to visit my mother after this, is all."

"Ah, I see. Well, we can save the house-tour for another time. Besides that, all that's left is for you to meet your charge!" 

You looked up at Ellen, smiling at the prospect of meeting the kid you'd be taking care of. Hopefully they wouldn't be too difficult, though you wouldn't mind. Even the toughest of kids eventually warmed up to you; years of being camp counselor and babysitting had you set, and your degree in Child Psychology certainly had some heft to it. You were by no means an expert, but you knew a thing or two.

"Of course, I can't wait to meet them!" 

Ellen went back inside the house, and you followed her back to the living space/front entrance, which was marked by its characteristic high ceilings and fancy staircase. The silver-haired woman waltzed to a door you hadn't noticed before, off to the right. You could have sworn you heard a scratching sound from behind it. 

Opening the door with a flourish, Ellen stepped back, giving way to a streak of blonde. The thing bounded towards you, a yellow blur, and you hardly had time to put yours hands up before it was on you, licking your face and panting.

"W-Wha?" 

Pulling away from the attacking creature, you gaped as the dog sat down, staring up at you with its brown eyes. It was a golden retriever, a beautiful one at that. A bright red collar was secured around its golden-furred neck, and it wagged its tail at you enthusiastically.

"This is Hugo, your charge."

You stared at Hugo, words slipping from your mouth before you could stop them.

"My job is...to watch a dog?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very excited about this idea, I hope it turns out well! I'm expecting to write a few chapters, so stay tuned :) Any feedback is welcome!


	2. mundane interlude

You were still reeling as you drove out of the cast-iron gates at the entrance, after having Ellen wish you a lovely weekend. 

A golden retreiver? You went to Loyola, for crying out loud! Got a whole bachelor's degree on how kids operated! It was almost an insult to your intelligence, being told you'd be a dog-sitter, after everything you went through to become educated.

"Monday, 8:00am, main house." Ellen had said.

You repeated those words to yourself as you drove down the stretching roads, the lack of congestion and traffic marking just how wealthy the area was. Braking at a stop-light, you clicked the radio on, selecting the volleyball channel.

"-and now, hearing from Mr. Kuroo on the latest -" You gawked at the stereo, hardly believing the words of the channel's beloved radio host. You looked at the 'welcome' flyer Ellen had given you, where the words 'Kuroo Tetsurou' were neatly typed in the top-right corner.

You knew he was rich, but on-the-radio-rich? 

"Yeah, in regard to last night's match against -" A deep, drawling voice began to speak, and you widened your eyes. A car honked behind you, and you jumped, realizing the light had turned green.

"Shit." The curse was a whisper, and you pulled forward into the intersection, still listening to your boss' voice on live air. 

Ellen had said 'the master' was in the sports promotion industry, and that he liked volleyball, but you still never would have expected to hear your boss on the professional volleyball station. 

"Insane," You murmured to yourself, "This is all insane." 

You couldn't calm yourself until you parked in the hospital's structure, pulling into your usual spot on the first floor. The next few minutes were full of breathing exercises - deep breath in, deep breath out. 

Clearing your mind, you closed your eyes.

Everything was okay. You'd look after this rich guy's dog, live onsite in a cottage by the woods, and occasionally hear the guy's voice on the radio - your eyes flew open when you realized you hadn't even met your boss yet, but had already heard his voice. That just didn't sit right.

You steeled yourself to get out of the car, locking it and striding to the front doors of the hospital. Worry about the job later, you thought to yourself. Right now, your mother was the most important thing.

After what seemed to be far too little time, you were outside of her room, hand outstretching to the door handle. Heart clenching, you squeezed your eyes shut, praying to some deity or higher power that she would have improved - that she'd be aye-okay from here on out.

The click of the door handle was too loud, you thought as you swung the door inward, stepping inside.

Natural light spilled into the room; your mother had gotten a room with a view when she was first checked in, the lovely window providing more light than the duplex ever could with its dingy, small ones. She looked over at you from her lying position on the bed, hooked up to the same plethora of wires and tubes as before.

Nothing had changed. She still looked weak, faint, and positively miserable. Not that it showed on her face, which was lovely and kind, or in her smile, which was genuine and bright.

"Hey, Mom."

"Oh, don't 'hey' me like that. Tell me how your interview went!"

Her tone was cheerful as usual, but she struggled to sit up. You rushed to help her, but she waved you off, coughing as she chuckled.

"I'm alright, hon. Sit down and tell me all about it."

You fell into a chair at her behest, trying to ignore the concern your felt for your mother and smiling weakly.

"I got the job."

"Oh, sweetie, that's wonderful! I'm so, so proud of you - always knew you could do it!" 

The way your mom lit up at hearing you succeed made you heart warm. She was always this supportive of you, always had been. Showing up to all of your volleyball games and Academic Decathlon tournaments, helping you study for college entrance exams and finals, driving you to the library at five in the morning when they first opened so you could get that book you just _had_ to have for that research paper. 

It pained you to see her so spent, so exhausted - the doctors said it was Stage Four, the cancer. You were shocked, to say the least, as your mom had never exhibited any symptoms of having any kind of illness. The response you got: "It's likely due to stress of her husband's death that we're seeing the symptoms at all. These things manifest silently, sometimes."

It just wasn't fair. Your mother was a good person, the kind that moved mountains to help those around her. 

Months of mourning the situation had almost left you crippled, leaving you lying around the house when you should've been out searching for a job. It wasn't fair, you repeated to yourself every day, it just wasn't fair. Being in the next room over just caused you more pain - driving her to her chemo appointments, seeing her struggle to hold herself up after them - it ripped your heart apart.

And then she had the accident. A minor stroke, likely gifted by the brain tumor, had sent your mother from the confines of the duplex to the confines of a hospital bed.

One could say that was the point you had a moment of clarity, the moment you'd woken up and shifted uncomfortably in your complacency. Sitting around at your age, fresh out of college, with plenty of job experience, and yet you were still jobless.

You'd sat up from your position on the couch, looked at the mess of dirty dishes and blankets around you, and swore to do better. 

And as you explained to your mom the details of the job, giggling when she gawked at the prospect of you looking after a dog instead of a human child, you felt your heart warm once more; this wasn't for you, it was for her. 

You were doing this for her, and you couldn't be prouder of it.

***

Packing your things didn't take long, and before you knew it, you had thrown the last suitcase in the trunk of your little red car.

The smile your mom had given you still lingered in your memory, the smell of her perfume clouding your senses when she hugged you. You looked back at the duplex you were leaving, not very regretful you were doing so.

It had been a wonderful childhood home, but since tragedy had struck two years ago, the charm of it all had dwindled to reveal peeling walls and drab linoleum. You weren't sorry to see it go, especially with you mother living in the hospital. It seemed to be an empty shell of a house, only holding value when the people you loved were there.

You took a deep breath, inhaling the morning air. It was a beautiful morning, Sundays never seemed to disappoint in that regard. The sky was a clear blue, the birds were chirping, and the sun beamed overhead.

The previous day had been spent cleaning the duplex from top to bottom; sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, polishing, and sorting. It would've left a sour taste in your mouth if you'd left it half-assed, still dirty from when you lived there. So cleaning was the only option - and you were confident in saying the interior sparkled.

You felt your phone buzz in your pocket, and jumped.

' **Tangerine-Face** ' lit up your screen, and you answered the incoming call.

"Hinata? What's up?"

An elated voice started boisterously shouting at you on the other end, and you had to bring the phone away from your ear.

"DID YOU HEAR? WE WON!"

"About the game? Of course I did! I watched it on TV last night, you guys were awesome!" You said after bringing the phone back to your ear, trying and failing to stifle an excited grin. Hinata was your best friend in the world, and he was on a professional volleyball team.

His team was currently on tour, and you checked your watch, figuring out in your head what time it was in his part of the world.

"Isn't it like three in the morning where you are?" 

"It's almost four, actually, but I couldn't sleep! Kageyama can't sleep either, wanna say hi?" 

Before you could protest, you heard the sound of a phone being shoved to another person's ear, and a disgruntled "Hi, Y/N." 

"Hey, Tobio. Hinata keeping you awake?" 

"Yep."

Kageyama was another friend of yours from high school, and despite his anti-social demeanor, he was a pretty trustworthy guy. You opened your mouth to say something else, but Hinata's voice filled your ears, and you realized he grabbed the phone back.

"I got your text, by the way! That's so cool you're gonna be watching some rich guy's dog, I'm sure you'll make bank!"

"Yeah, totally. Speaking of, I'm supposed to head over there and move into the cottage pretty soon, can we talk more later?" You could've talked to Hinata all day long, about nothing in particular, but you did want to get a move on.

"Oh, sure!"

"Make sure you go to _sleep_ , Hinata, okay?" 

"I _will_ , don't nag! Talk to you later!" 

And with that, the call clicked off, and you sighed in exasperation. 

The orange-haired man could be a huge handful sometimes, but you wished he wasn't on the other side of the world. Hinata had been out of town for the last few weeks, but he would always remember to call and text you. 

Honestly, you couldn't wait for him to get back. The pair of you would marathon every genre of movie you could think of, with White Claws as the drink of choice, and pizza as the food of choice. Sometimes you made fun cocktails, with maraschino cherries and canned fruits. Kageyama always made fun of Hinata for drinking 'girly' drinks with you, and _that's_ why he was never invited. 

Smiling to yourself, you slid into the front seat of your car, turning the ignition and hearing the engine rumble to life.

Kuroo's manor was roughly a half-hour's drive from the duplex, but with the help of a custom-made playlist (from Hinata, of course), the time flew by. Before you knew it, you were being let into the cast-iron gates, before parking by the guardhouse, as you'd done two days ago.

Ellen was nowhere to be found, but you did see a note on the front desk, accompanied by a key-ring. 

_Y/N,_

_The gold key opens the front door of the main house_

_The silver key opens the front door of the cottage_

_The bronze key opens the shed on the grounds_

_-Ellen_

Sure enough, three keys in different metallic shades were on the key-ring. You pocketed it, along with the note, and looked around. A bored-looking security guard was at another desk, further back, but he ignored you as you left the building to return to your car.

Ellen had told you to simply park your car in the garage at the main house, as it'd be easier to bring your bags in that way. The amount of trust she and 'the master' seemed to put into you was terrifying; you'd been given the garage code, and now keys to all the important places on the grounds. 

Once you'd parked in the garage (off to the far right, so as to not be in the way), you took a minute to gawk at the nice cars it housed. A red Corvette, black Mustang, and a shiny silver Tesla were parked there, with one space remaining wide open. 

You assumed Kuroo was out, given that empty space. It seemed to comfort you, knowing you didn't yet have to meet your boss.

You serenely unloaded your bags from the trunk, locking it up before readying yourself to drag them out of the garage and around the side of the manor.

The sun seemed to beat down on you as you labored, determined to get everything in one trip. Crossing the expansive lawn took way more time than you pictured, with two bags hanging from each arm and one slung around your neck. By the time you got to the cottage door, you were exhausted. Wiping the sweat from your brow, you dropped your bags and went to unlock the white-painted door.

Little did you know that someone was watching you, from a second-floor window in the manor. The man watched you with amusement in his mischievous eyes as you struggled with your bags, his mussed black hair partially obscuring his vision.

He looked away from the window as you disappeared inside the cottage, glancing instead at Hugo, whose tail was wagging excitedly at his master. 

"Excited to have a playmate, eh, boy?"

Hugo let out a soft bark, and Kuroo patted him lovingly.

"Me too, boy. She looks fun enough."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not so much Hugo or Kuroo action in this chapter, but fret not! Plenty of it to come :)


	3. the master: introductions

It was warm in the cottage, which was much larger than it looked from the outside.

You first opened all of the windows, allowing a pleasant cross-breeze to blow through and cool the air; then, glancing across the room, you investigated the little hallway by the fireplace.

Two doors straddled the hallway, one leading to a bedroom, another leading to a small bathroom. You sighed with relief when you observed the cottage had running water, turning the sink on and off as an experiment. There was a mini-fridge in the kitchenette, back in the main living area, and a hot plate.

You deadpanned at the sight of the little disc of metal, almost indignant at not having a stove of some sort. What was this, college? Were you back in the dorms, heating up your instant-ramen over the pitiful little hot plate your roommate had stolen from her ex-boyfriend? 

Pressing your lips together, you tore your gaze away from the offending piece of kitchen equipment to look out of the kitchen window, which overlooked the lawn. Kuroo's manor could be seen across the green, and you squinted when you saw movement from the top floor, through a glassy window.

What was that? 

It was gone as quick as you'd noticed it, the figure disappearing from the window.

Pushing it out of your mind, you turned to face the rest of the cottage, already planning where your things would go and how you'd re-organize the furniture. It definitely needed a thorough cleaning, the surfaces were a little dusty.

Rolling up your sleeves, you grinned to yourself. 

Starting tomorrow, you'd be making a butt-load of money for babysitting a dog. Things really couldn't get easier than that.

***

Your night of sleep was rocky, to say the least.

After having tidied the cottage and putting away all of your belongings, you were wiped out. Your stomach had growled ferociously, so you'd turned to the mini-fridge, a little disappointed to find minimal amounts of food within. There was, however, a note:

_Y/N,_

_I've put a couple things in the fridge for your first day,_

_but you're welcome to use the main house's kitchen_

_whenever you feel like it; the master has okay'd this._

_-Ellen_

A glance at the time told you it was far too late to sneak across the lawn and into the main house's kitchen, which you'd seen was very large. 

The last thing you wanted was to wake up your boss, who you'd not even met yet, and royally piss him off. So, you nabbed a yogurt cup and spoon from the kitchen, and figured that would do.

Your bedroom was rather bare, as well, though that was to be expected. The queen-sized bed was a significant upgrade from your twin bed at the duplex, and you certainly relished the extra space after turning all the lights out, letting the tiredness wash over your body.

Falling asleep wasn't hard at all, but your dreams were plagued with nerves and anxiety at your impending job. Images of every worst-case scenario flashed through your sleeping mind, including one where Hugo was dead, and it was your fault. To cap off a terrible night of sleep, you had one of the worst nightmares about your mother you'd ever had before.

Sure, when you'd first learned about her medical condition, you'd had a few doozies - terrifying dreams where your mom was lying in a coffin, and all you could do was cry through your fingers, unable to look at her motionless body. 

This one, however, was ten times worse - mostly because your father was magically alive in this one, screaming at you for not taking better care of your mother, whose head lolled to the side of the pristine hospital-bed pillow, visibly dead. You woke up with tears rolling down your face, gasping and twisted up in your sheets.

The morning rays glowed through the blinds of your bedroom window, and you let out a deep sigh upon realizing it was just a dream.

Shaking your head, you slid out of bed and checked the time on your phone. 

_'7:12am'_

Just enough time for a shower, you thought to yourself, smiling as you stepped into the bathroom.

Good thing too, because your hair was an absolute mess. You spent most of your shower trying to run your fingers through it with shampoo and conditioner, until it finally ran smoothly. 

By the time you were dressed and ready to go, half an hour had ticked by. You still had time before heading over, but wouldn't showing up early be a courteous thing to do on your first day? You supposed so, and reluctantly left the cottage at 7:45, purse and keys in tow.

Blinking in the sunlight, you felt a chilly breeze across your face and shivered. Good thing you went for the coat today, not the light jacket.

Your vision adjusted just in time for you to see a familiar golden blur going straight for you, and the next thing you knew, you were knocked to the ground. You yelped as you fell, but laughed when Hugo licked all over your face, tail wagging.

"Hey, boy!" You laughed, squirming to a sitting position and petting the golden retriever. Hugo lolled his tongue out of his mouth, tail still wagging.

"First day on the job and we're already best friends, huh?"

Hugo's contented panting seemed to be answer enough, and you smiled, getting to your feet. 

"Shall we?" 

As though he understood you, the dog barked and ran off, back towards the main house across the grass. You laughed airily, your spirits lifted by his surprise appearance. Hugo's long strides had brought him to the front door in seconds, and you leisurely walked after him, purse slung over your shoulder and a lax smile on your face.

Kuroo watched you approach the house from upstairs, tightening his tie around his neck. He'd laughed out loud when Hugo bowled you over, and couldn't help but feel a strange warmth in his heart when he saw the two of your interacting. You seemed to say something to the dog, which automatically was a plus to the dark-haired man, as he was constantly conversing with Hugo.

He heard the back door slide open, and then shut. Smirking, Kuroo decided it was about time he met his dog-sitter; so, grabbing his shiny dress shoes, he exited his bedroom and made to descend to the first floor.

You'd entered the kitchen and set your purse down on the counter, eyes roving around the room.

Despite having passed through on Friday, you hadn't seen much of the kitchen. It was huge, pristine, and modern. Shining appliances were only topped in style by the clean-looking design of the counters and backsplash; the kitchen island was the largest one you'd ever seen in your life, and it was placed squarely in the center of the room, tying everything together.

It almost felt unused, the way there were no signs of dishes or already-made coffee in a pot off to the side; the Keurig appeared untouched, and even if Kuroo drank tea, the tea kettle on the broad stove was empty. Did he cook, or was there a hired cook? 

You hadn't seen any signs of other staff members, besides the security guard at the front, and Ellen of course. There must be someone who comes in and cleans periodically, you were sure Kuroo wouldn't have time to clean the entire manor himself, what with all of his alleged hikes and funky work schedule.

Catching a glimpse of white, you looked back to the countertop. A note was there, in the familiar, loopy writing you'd come to associate with Ellen.

Grabbing it up, you quickly read it.

_Y/N,_

_I apologize for all of the notes, you'll likely get many more_

_from me as you continue to work here. Easier than coming in person_

_every time I have to tell you something._

_Welcome to your first day! Your daily tasks are on a more_

_official paper, in the study._

_Good luck! I'll be seeing you soon._

_-Ellen_

"Pretty cryptic." You muttered to yourself, brows knitting together. 

You'd be seeing her 'soon', but how soon? 

A brusque laugh from somewhere behind nearly made you jump out of your skin, and you shrieked, spinning around. A man was leaning on the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed and smirking.

"Whoa there, jumpy. Didn't mean to startle you."

You stared at the man in front of you; the longer you looked, the more handsome he got. Soon enough, a blush was crossing your face, and you coughed in the attempt to clear your throat and head.

"Ellen's always been a little cryptic, enjoying her little games. She's a great person, though, and very reliable."

"O-Oh."

The man continued to speak, but you were lost in his eyes. This was Kuroo, in the flesh. For some reason, you had been expecting an ugly little man, balding and pretentious in his manner of speaking.

You most certainly were not expecting a gorgeous man, with messy hair and a fit body, wearing an expensive suit and looking at you with the hottest smirk of a lifetime. He looked you up and down, and you realized he'd stopped talking.

What had he said? You weren't paying attention.

"S-Sorry, what?" 

Kuroo clicked his tongue, that same smirk on his face.

"Gotta pay attention. I was just saying how you're even more beautiful than I expected you to be."

You went bright red, spluttering and ending in a coughing fit. Kuroo laughed loudly.

"I'm teasing you, but really, I'm definitely not disappointed in your looks."

"I could say the same about you." You said, giving him a once-over. "I was sort of expecting a little bald man, couldn't tell you why though."

Kuroo laughed that genuine laugh once more, grinning at you. "You're funny, I like you." You swore you'd turned about fifty shades of red in the last two minutes of conversation, but this next shade took the cake. His words made that funny feeling in your chest explode into a million bits, but in a good way.

"I'm glad you think so." You said modestly, nodding at him.

There was a brief silence, and Kuroo took that time to allow a smirk cross his face once more. 

Stepping closer to you, he extended his hand.

"I'm Kuroo Tetsurou, and Hugo's my little pup."

You'd completely forgotten about the golden retriever standing next to you, and hadn't seen how much he'd lit up at the sight of his owner. Even now, his tail was wagging furiously as he circled the two of you, looking adoringly up at his master.

"I'm Y/N L/N, it's nice to meet you." 

"Nice to meet you too, mind if I call you Y/N? Formalities aren't really my thing."

"Only if I can call you Tetsurou." You said, a shy smile curling onto your lips. Kuroo laughed once more as he exited the kitchen, gesturing for you to follow. 

He walked to a closet down the hallway, near the front of the house, and opened it.

"Go right ahead, Y/N." You flushed at the sound of your name rolling off his tongue, watching as he took out a well-kept, black trench-coat. Kuroo shrugged the coat on, and you briefly saw a flash of its red-plaid interior lining. Pretty chic, you had to admit.

"So Ellen's probably given you the run-down already, where you can and can't go and all that," he suddenly laughed as he pulled a briefcase and gloves out of the closet, "she's pretty strict, huh?"

Your confused face was enough of an answer, and Kuroo turned towards you.

"Ellen used to be my nanny growing up, and now she's my assistant."

You furrowed your brow.

"She seemed pretty laid-back." 

Kuroo snorted.

"I guess she is to someone she hasn't disciplined all their life. Anyway, she'll say stuff like not to go on the second floor, and don't go in the woods, and keep the dog treats away from the dog. But frankly, I don't mind if you walk all over the manor, it's not like you're gonna take anything. "

"Yeah, but she could mean it as a privacy concern." You said, trying to defend Ellen.

"There aren't really any skeletons in my closet," Kuroo said, grinning, "and as for personal privacy, I really couldn't give a damn. Besides, you seem trustworthy enough." 

He said that last part with a wink, before turning on his heel to address Hugo. Kneeling down, he rubbed the dog's neck, speaking softly to him. You smiled as he did so, but did your best to look respectful as Kuroo stood back up to face you.

"One thing, though, - " Kuroo said seriously, raising a gloved finger as you gulped.

" - you've gotta use the red leash when you take Hugo on walks, it's his favorite."

Blinking, you let out a breath. You didn't know what you'd been expecting, but it wasn't that.

"Okay, I can do that."

"Good, good. Well, I'm off to work! Take good care of my little boy ~"

And with that, he disappeared out the front door, waving over his shoulder. You stood in his absence, and couldn't help but stare at where he'd stood. 

Part of you couldn't help but wonder when he'd be coming back.

Looking to Hugo, your eyes met brown ones. 

"He seems nice."

_And gorgeous._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hugo has my heart, and I definitely feel like Kuroo would do the absolute most for his dog. 
> 
> Stay tuned for updates, and as usual, leave a comment if you're enjoying so far! :)


	4. melty puppuccino

Checking your watch, you groaned from your place in the living room, sitting awkwardly on the couch.

It was that kind of odd feeling that comes with being in a house that wasn't yours, not being familiar with the layout and being afraid of breaking something. Not wanting to mess up the couch or the throw pillows, you remained confined in your seated position, back straight and hands in your lap.

You tapped your feet on the ground, but the soles of your shoes made no noise against the area rug.

Hugo was sleeping in his dog bed, just across the room. The pair of you had just returned from his second walk of the day a few minutes prior, and you were pleased to say you hadn't gotten quite as lost on the way back this time.

It was nearly 1, and you pursed your lips. You'd found the paper Ellen was talking about, in an ornate-looking room on the first floor. Traditional red and gold carpets lined the floor, with beautiful tapestries and embellished portraits of two elegant-looking people - a man and a woman. They resembled Kuroo, and you figured they must be his parents.

The man had Kuroo's eyes, it seemed, the way they glinted mischievously. And the woman had Kuroo's hair, jet-black and rather untamed. Her eyes were kind, though, and a sea-green color. You smiled at her, and she unwaveringly smiled back.

You'd snatched the letter from Ellen off of a side-table, retreating to the hallway to read it. 

The instructions were extensive, not with a ridiculous amount of tasks, but with over-the-top explanations of the few tasks that existed. You swore there was about a paragraph on each item, starting with the most important one: walks:

> _' **Walks** will be conducted at least three times a day, at half an hour each - one in the morning, one around noon, and one in the early evening (feel free to pepper in 10-15 minute walks as needed, if Hugo is extra energetic on a particular day); use the red or blue leash, located in Hugo's room _\- (you blinked at seeing the words 'Hugo's room', but quickly found the indicated room after reading) - _You may leave the premises to conduct walks, going out of the gate and to the right, towards the city. Do not go too far into the city, as the air is quite polluted. Keep Hugo on a tight hold, he'll chase squirrels and bikes._
> 
> _Important note: Keeping your job is conditional to keeping Hugo with you; Losing Hugo will result in immediate job termination. Here's fair warning._

You had gulped, continuing down the list to see many specified tasks. Feeding, napping, and playing were all to be done at the house, in the extensive back-grounds, except on certain days, when Hugo was allowed to visit the dog park and run around with his dog pals (Hugo had a standing play-date appointment with a few other pups, on Tuesdays and Thursdays). 

Furrowing your brow, you quickly scanned the list, catching glimpse of a bold sentence at the very bottom of the sheet.

> _**When the master is home, you will stay within sight of Hugo unless dismissed directly. If dismissed, you may return to the cottage until you are called for, or until the master leaves the house. BUT - you will be on-duty during the aforementioned hours, and will be on-call the remainder of the time.** _

Blinking, you thought back to the last time you'd spoken with Ellen in person, the day of your interview. She'd run down your working hours as though they were reasonable to expect, and you'd gawked.

Your 'official' hours were from 8am to 8pm Monday through Saturday, but Ellen had stressed that you would be on-call the rest of the time, barring your day off, which was Sunday. Essentially, you had to be on high-alert six out of the seven days of the week, but would be compensated if you had to be brought in for an emergency during your on-call hours.

After reviewing the intimidating task list, you'd set out on Hugo's first walk of the day.

You'd made sure to use the red leash, as Kuroo had specified.

Hugo had leapt up in excitement, wagging his tail like crazy when he saw the leash. You'd found it in 'his room', the little office off the hallway. It had a large doggy bed in it, along with a basket of toys and leashes hung up on pegs. There was a small closet, and you'd gasped when you saw dog-sized Halloween costumes and hoodies, all hung up in a row. 

Snickering to yourself, you plucked one out of the lineup, 'aww'-ing slightly when you saw it was a volleyball jersey.

Putting it back, you turned to the basket of toys, eyes wide at just how many there were.

Lots of mini-volleyball toys, you noted, smiling to yourself. It was sweet.

"Ready, boy?" 

That was all Hugo needed, and he stood still, waiting for you to clip on the leash.

The golden retriever all but dragged you down the gravel driveway, all the way to the guardhouse, and out of the iron gates. You wrapped the leash around your arm a couple times, determined to keep a grip. This dog wouldn't be getting away on your watch, you said to yourself as Hugo trotted in front of you, at a rather quick pace.

You firmly kept at a brisk walk, not letting Hugo drag you along. There weren't many houses nearby, but you found yourself gaping at the ones you did see, as they were just as majestic and grand as Kuroo's manor was. 

Hugo seemed to know where he was going, which was lucky for you, as you had no clue where you were. Ellen had given you the location of the dog park, but not Hugo's typical route. Your feet grew tired after twenty minutes of walking, you were ashamed to admit, but kept on trudging after the lively dog.

Near the end of the walk, it happened. The very thing Ellen warned you of. Your grip on the leash had slackened, as Hugo wasn't making any violent attempts of escape; he trotted in front of you at a fixed pace, panting.

But twenty meters from the same iron gates you'd come out of, when you were literally in view of the grey guard-house, Hugo caught sight of a squirrel crossing the road and bolted.

You'd yelped, your arm still wrapped in the leash, and were pulled right over onto the ground, which was thankfully covered in grass. Hugo barked like mad, trying to rush for the squirrel as you shouted from your place on the ground, not quite being dragged, "HUGO!"

Hugo only calmed down when the squirrel was safely out of range, and he then reverted back to his normal, tail-wagging self. You sighed, getting to your feet and keeping a death-grip on the fabric of the leash. 

"Let's go home, bud."

So now, sitting on the couch, you watched the minutes tick by, thoroughly bored.

Hugo was still sleeping peacefully in his doggy bed; you were glad he was sleepy after two walks, the second one tired you out even more. You really had to get in shape, and probably would quickly, with this much walking every day.

You snatched the remote, pointing it at the large flat-screen TV, but quickly rethinking your decision as you saw Hugo twitch in his sleep. Don't want to wake the pup up.

Frowning, you threw the remote back down, opting to get up and relocate to the kitchen.

As it was on the opposite end of the house, you now felt safe to bring your phone out and shuffle a playlist.

You smiled as the calming music filled the silence; lo-fi was your go-to, ever since college tossed a slew of all-nighters at you, giving you some of the worst migraines in your life. The soft, inconsistent beats relaxed you like nothing else could, and on those nights you couldn't sleep, playing some lo-fi was the magic trick to get you nice and calm.

Leaving your phone on the kitchen island, you strolled to the nearest cupboard and wrenched it open, eyes flying open in surprise at the stocked shelves. Boxes of raw pasta, ready-make rice, and seasonings greeted you, and you audibly gasped.

Moving to the next cupboard, you pulled it open too, blinking at its equally-full interior. What kind of crap was this?

Ellen _had_ said the kitchen was fully stocked, but still! You were convinced a bachelor like Kuroo would get takeout for dinner every night. 

"What the hell..." You muttered as you went down the wall, yanking open cupboards and staring at shelves of kitchenware; everything from pots and pans to air fryers and toasters were tucked away behind the white-painted wood doors. 

Glancing at the empty counters and bare-looking kitchen island, you seized a nice-looking glass bowl from one of the cupboards, going next to the fridge to fill it with fruits.

Setting the full bowl on the island with a clink, you stood back, staring at it with a smile. The vibrantly-colored apples, oranges, and lemons brightened up the otherwise-dull kitchen, and you nodded to yourself before seizing an apple off the top and biting into it.

"Redecorating, huh?" 

You dropped your apple to the floor, cursing as you spun around to face Kuroo.

"Don't creep up on me like that!" You said in a whisper-yell, grabbing the apple off the floor and going to rinse it off. Kuroo merely laughed, swinging his keys around one finger before pressing them against his palm with a clipped sound. 

"You scare easy, did you know that?"

Flushing, you nodded. "Ever since I was a kid."

"That's kind of cute." Kuroo's dark eyes were full of amusement as the words left his curling lips, and you flushed even darker, wiping your apple against your shirt before taking another bite.

"Are you a fan of horror movies?" 

This question threw you off, and you blinked at your boss, suddenly noting that his hair was just as messy as it had been this morning. Part of you wanted to march up to him with a brush and fix it, but the other part thought it looked attractive the way it was.

"Yeah, I'd say so." You managed, fidgeting slightly under his gaze.

"How can one who gets scared so easily be a fan of movies designed to scare you?" 

His questions were weird, and they somewhat unnerved you. How the hell would you know? You supposed it was because you knew there was a distinct difference between reality and fiction, no matter how gory and blood-splattering the nasty scenes got. 

"I-I don't know. I close my eyes at the jump-scares, for one thing."

It was true, and Kuroo's brows raised at that.

"Hm. We'll have to watch one sometime, so I can see what you mean."

Watch a movie with your boss? You couldn't imagine that, regardless of how attractive Kuroo may or may not be. 

"Hey, I was going to take Hugo to Starbucks, wanna come? You guys seem to have hit it off already." 

You wanted to read into the meaning behind his words, but Kuroo looked deeply bored as he swung his keys around his fingers, making that jingling sound from before. It distracted you, kept you from thinking straight.

"U-Uh, sure."

***

Minutes later, Kuroo was zipping down the long, winding roads that originally took you to his manor. 

You'd expected him to have picked out one of the sports cars, the shiny red Corvette perhaps, but he'd opted for a car you hadn't seen in the garage before: a white Subaru Outback, just as pristine and shiny as the others, but far less flashy. You supposed it was for Hugo's sake, as the other cars were far too small for a big golden retriever like him.

Speaking of, the dog was currently living his best life in the back seat, paws up on the door ledge and head out the window. 

"Aren't you worried he'll accidentally push the door open?" You asked without thinking, as you watched Hugo's paws get dangerously close to the lever. Kuroo smiled, keeping his eyes on the road as he answered your question.

"Nope, the locks back there are child-proof."

You bit your lip to keep from laughing, but Kuroo seemed to catch onto your amusement without having to look over.

"I know, I sound like one of those crazy dog-parents." He chuckled as he said it, and you shook your head.

"No, not at all. Better to be safe than sorry."

"Yeah."

There was a brief silence, and you resumed your looking out the window, realizing how far the manor really was from the city. If he drove to the city for work, why didn't he just get Starbucks on the way home?

"Why drive all the way back to the city for Starbucks when you could've gotten it on the way home?" You asked, raising a brow.

Kuroo's answer was a simple one.

"Hugo likes the puppuccinos*, and those get melty on the ride back." 

You weren't expecting such a sweet answer, it sort of caught you off-guard. Mouth slightly agape, you blinked several times as you looked from Kuroo to the delighted dog in the backseat, still enjoying his head being out of the window.

Such a conniving-looking man having a huge soft spot for his dog warmed your heart, you were surprised to admit. It made sense, you supposed, from everything Ellen had said about him. Not having a girlfriend or partner of any kind, it made sense he put so much effort and care into his dog. 

Come to think of it, Kuroo and Hugo were the only two living creatures in that house. There was no one else.

Hugo relied on Kuroo and Kuroo relied on Hugo, simple as that. You smiled to yourself.

"I was sorry to hear about your father. He was my teacher back in high school, you know." Kuroo's words surprised you, but you'd half-been expecting the topic to come up at some point. You'd already prepared an answer, thankfully.

"Yeah, Ellen told me. And thanks, but it's already been so long, it doesn't hurt as much anymore."

That was a flat-out lie; you still missed your father dearly, unable to help your heart clenching in pain at the thought of him. Two years wasn't a whole lot, and Kuroo knew that. One glance at your face, and Kuroo detected your lie as clear as day. You really were a bad liar.

"Was your mother alright, after it happened?" His question was awkwardly said, but you knew he just wanted to hear about your mom; to clarify that you _had_ one, and weren't, in fact, an orphan. Brushing aside his weird wording, you answered him.

"She actually was diagnosed with cancer shortly after his passing." You said, trying not to sound bitter.

"O-Oh, wow, I'm sorry. Is she..." 

"Yes, she's alive."

You didn't want to be an asshole, but this was all pretty personal. Only your closest friends heard about everything that went on in the hospital, how mentally draining it was to try to keep your mother afloat through it all, how you weren't ready for her to go, too.

"Gotcha. I hope she gets better soon."

"Thanks." You said, smiling appreciatively at the man, who looked sincere. 

Glad he didn't press the subject, you took the next opportunity for silence, and looked back out the window at the clouds. You could see green hillocks on the horizon, and focused on them. You could almost see the rippling waves of grass, flowing in the wind freely, creating a swell and recession of plant-based ocean.

"What do you want?"

The question startled you, and you looked over at the dark-haired man. The three of you were already in line at the drive-through, and Kuroo was next to order.

"S-Shit, could I get -" Your brain went blank, and you went red. You didn't know what you wanted.

You resisted the urge to physically smack some sense into yourself, racking your brains. Being put on the spot like that seemed to cause even the most basic information you knew about yourself to fall right out your ears and roll around on the floor of his Subaru, irretrievable.

Your drink preferences had rolled right under the driver's seat, and gotten caught at the base, trapped there. You were doomed, positively doomed.

Blinking, you suddenly remembered. You liked tea, green tea in particular. And lemonade. 

That was what you usually got.

"A-Ah, could I get a green tea lemonade?" 

Kuroo's previously blank face morphed into a smirk, and you suddenly felt extremely self-conscious.

"You betcha, and watch the language."

Blinking at him, you thought back to your initial outburst, when your thoughts had escaped you. Gasping, you looked to him, an apologetic expression on your face. "I'm so sorry about that, I didn't mean to-"

You were cut off by his barking laughter, as he shook with mirth.

"You're too easy. As we get to know each other, it'll get harder for me to intimidate you."

"I doubt that." You said seriously.

Pulling forward in line, Kuroo ordered the drinks. One puppuccino, one venti green tea lemonade, and one... venti mango dragon-fruit refresher?

You gawked at the man, wondering if you'd heard him right. 

"You're not getting coffee?"

Kuroo guffawed.

"Who goes to Starbucks for coffee? It's bitter as hell, and I brew my own, anyway."

"Oh, what, with fancy imported coffee beans?" You joked, but Kuroo looked dead-serious, and you gulped.

"They're not fancy, just imported. I'll show you how to use the French-press with them, makes pretty damn good coffee."

You smiled, watching as he sipped his bright-pink refresher.

You hated to admit it, but hearing Kuroo talk about coffee beans made you ridiculously happy. It seemed that Ellen had built up Kuroo's reputation so much, saying this and that about how esteemed and proper he was, that you weren't expecting a laid-back, playful kind of guy.

You couldn't help but 'aww' as Kuroo immediately held out the puppuccino for Hugo upon receiving it, who excitedly lapped at it. 

As you sipped your green tea lemonade on the way back, you glanced over at the dark-haired man, admiring his messy hair and soft smile as he briefly looked at Hugo in the rear-view mirror. 

That would have been fine and good in its own discretion, but Kuroo's perceptive nature picked up on your wandering eyes immediately.

He waited a moment, and then flicked his gaze right at you.

Being caught in the act caused you to yelp and look away, but not before seeing a smirk set in on his handsome face.

The wink he gave you nearly made your chest explode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *puppuccino: a small paper cup filled with whipped cream.
> 
> Teasing and messing with you is Kuroo's love language, change my mind. Also thanks for being patient, classes have started and just yikes, honestly. Stay tuned for more, and drop a comment if you've enjoyed so far! <3 :)


	5. mottled frustration

"Hi, I just had a quick question about my schedule!"

"...And you couldn't just come over to the main house and ask?" 

You blinked, lips slightly parted as you were about to ask your question. Kuroo's words threw you off, and you brought your phone away from your ear to look at it in shock before bringing it back, speaking into the receiver.

"U-Uh, I mean-"

"I was just making tea, come over and we can discuss your schedule."

"A-Are you sure? It's just a quick-" "-I'm sure."

A scowl crossed your face at your boss' abruptness, and you let out an angered sound when he hung up on you. "How rude!"

Your question was about your free time away from the job, as Ellen had made it sound like you'd be kept on a ball-and-chain at the cottage, even on your one day off. Hinata had been bugging you about when you'd be around to hang out, as he and Kageyama's team would be returning home soon.

And besides, you'd feel more comfortable at the duplex with Hinata, where you usually hung out, rather than the cottage on-site. But the whole live-in situation had turned everything on its head, limited not just to your work life, but your personal life as well.

"Wait, when can I see you then?" Hinata had whined over the phone, and you sighed.

"I don't know! This is kind of a full-time job, I don't think I'll be able to get away for- well, a long time."

"Just ask your boss if being on-call Sundays means you can leave the prison- oh sorry, I meant _manor_."

Hinata's snide way of saying 'manor' made you groan in exasperation, and you rolled your eyes to the heavens. "Hinata, quit being a baby. I'll ask and let you know."

The cheer you got from the orange-haired boy was cut off by a yell of pain, and Hinata shouted "Kageyama, what was that for?!" as you smiled. You just barely caught a "You're being rude" in the background, likely from the addressed raven-haired man.

"Thanks, Tobio!" You shouted into the phone, and Hinata squalled in anger.

"S-Shut up! Ugh, I'll talk to you later." 

"Love youuu ~" You cooed mockingly into the phone, and Hinata scoffed.

"Uh-huh, love you too. Bye bye."

You'd been lounging on your bed, waiting around for Kuroo to leave for work; he'd seemed - off - lately.

Granted, you've only worked for him for a few weeks, so it's not like you had the best way of determining whether or not he was in a bad mood.

But little things sort of clued you in - when he got home, he'd immediately take Hugo and retreat to the forest in the grounds, likely on a hike or run. He'd be gone for hours at a time, but you told yourself you'd only call 911 if six or more hours passed.

Sometimes, you got pretty worried about them, but did your best not to panic about it. Kuroo owned the land, and he always brought his phone, so you _could_ contact him if needed.

Not only his extra-long hikes, but the man wouldn't always greet you in the mornings. You'd grown accustomed to your daily exchange, saying 'hello' and 'good morning' and 'want a cup of coffee?' (to which he always jovially accepted, though lately it's been more of an irritated acceptance).

Yesterday though, Kuroo didn't even acknowledge your existence, walking right past you with his brief-case in hand and slamming the front door behind him.

You'd jumped at the loud sound, nearly dropping the coffee you'd been poised to give him.

Things didn't get better; Kuroo would come home in a furious mood, seemingly no calmer than he left.

This was the reason you called the house via telephone instead of ambling over to the main house to ask - you didn't really want to get yelled at.

Sighing, you got up from your bed, pulling your shoes on and leaving the little cottage.

Maybe work has been rather stressful lately, you mused to yourself as you slid open the back door, letting yourself in and setting your keys on the counter.

"Tetsurou? Are you here?"

You called softly into the room, taking note of the still-steaming tea kettle and open box of peppermint tea bags. 

There wasn't any response.

You padded into the hall, looking this way and that.

Where the hell was he? You'd only come over because he told you to, so where was he?

"Tetsurou?" You called, a little louder.

"In here, doll." You jumped at the sound, spinning to face the open doorway you'd been walking by. The study.

"A-Ah, you scared me."

"Big surprise." Kuroo said as you entered, an annoyed look on his face and a pile of papers on his desk.

There were two cups of tea beside the lamp, and another chair was set up; for you?

"Do you want me to sit?" You asked questioningly.

"Why else would I have a chair there?" 

You cocked an eyebrow, eyes narrowing at his tone, but sat down nonetheless. 

Kuroo hardly looked up from his papers, scribbling something in the top-corner before moving on to the next one. From where you were sitting, they looked like statistics. A few minutes of this squeaked by, and you were mildly uncomfortable at the pointed silence.

At the same time, you couldn't help but feel irritated by the utter gall Kuroo had to ignore you like this.

You cleared your throat.

"Oh yeah, tea's for you. I hope you like peppermint."

Kuroo gestured to the teacup in front of you, not looking up. You picked it up and took a sip, smiling as you did so. Peppermint was one of your favorites, it was kind of funny Kuroo happened to have it.

"S-So..." You started, trying to get the ball rolling. Kuroo didn't pick it up, continuing to ignore you as he did before.

"...I had a question about my schedule."

He grunted.

Your irritation quickly became anger as you watched him. He really could have answered this question over the phone if he was so busy, there was no need to drag you over here just to ignore you to your face.

Sighing, you stood. 

"I'll come back later. You seem busy." 

Kuroo's head snapped up, and you winced under his gaze. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" 

You blinked. Was he being serious?

"I came over for a reason, to get my question answered. It's understandable if you don't have time right now."

The dark-haired man stared at you, lips parted. His surprised expression quickly morphed into the same annoyed one you'd grown accustomed to over the last week, and you sighed.

"You seem stressed, majorly." You said tentatively.

Kuroo scoffed.

"I'm fine. Just ask me now."

You swore you had whiplash from his moodiness. First, he wouldn't look at you. Now, he won't let you go.

"A-Ah, alright. It's about my day off, Sunday." 

You made to continue when his bored expression didn't change, trying not to roll your eyes at his behavior.

"My friend's visiting, and I wanted to see him at my own house. Since I'm on call that day, I wasn't sure if that meant I had to stay at the cottage."

Kuroo's eyes narrowed when you brought up your 'friend'. A guy? You didn't mention you had a boyfriend.

As much as he wanted to say you had to stay on-site while being on-call, that wasn't reasonable in the slightest.

It wouldn't be fair of him to do something like that, nor was it fair to be jealous. It's not like the two of you were close at all; you were his dog-sitter, for crying out loud. 

Still, the thought of you being alone with some guy made Kuroo's blood boil.

"You can come and go as you please, just make sure you always have your ringer on."

Your expression softened, and you smiled at him. Kuroo flushed, trying not to think about how precious you looked when you grinned like that. 

"Okay, thank you! I'll be out this Sunday then, but I'll keep my phone on."

"S-Sounds good."

You turned to leave, the teacup still in your hands. You looked down at it, taking your lip in your mouth and biting down. 

"What's on your mind? Is it just work, or is something else going on?"

You couldn't say what possessed you to ask something so openly of your boss, but it was almost worth it to see his jaw drop.

Kuroo certainly wasn't expecting you to say that of all things.

Had he really been that obvious? He thought he'd done a good job of keeping his mood under wraps.

"It's nothing." He said sharply, and you almost jumped.

"U-Uh, alright."

A brief pause.

"But...I wouldn't mind your company. If you weren't busy with anything else." 

It was true, even if Kuroo hated to admit it to himself; your presence seemed to lighten up things that were dreary and dark, wherever you went. Hugo did that, too, but with you, it was different. 

Taken aback, you opened your mouth but said nothing. 

You did have some emails to catch up on, you supposed. And maybe Kuroo had some office tasks in mind.

"Sure, why not?" 

Kuroo visibly relaxed. He hadn't even realized he was tensed.

"Let me grab my laptop from the cottage." 

You left with a smile and a wave, and Kuroo sighed, looking over to his golden retriever, who was laying in his dog bed, snug as a rug.

"This isn't good, is it, bud?"

Hugo panted happily, brown eyes large.

"She's my dog-sitter. But she's also really great."

More contented panting from the dog, with a slight whine.

"Maybe we'll find out she's really sucky as we get to know her."

Kuroo sounded hopeful, not wanting to get entangled in a romantic delusion concerning his employee.

Hugo just raised himself to his feet, shook himself, and trotted out of the room.

"Maybe we'll find out she's the worst."

Kuroo spoke softly, knowing it was wishful thinking.

***

"So my father was your teacher? How long ago was that?"

You had finished clicking through your new emails. There weren't many, as you had been unemployed and out of school for longer than you could remember. You did have a few congratulations messages from old schoolmates about the new job; your mom had gotten to them about it, it seemed.

Kuroo had worked through his pile of papers, and only a few remained now. He sipped his tea, which you'd refreshed a few minutes ago in the kitchen.

"Yeah, probably eight or nine years ago."

"And you wanted to help me out by giving me this job?" You blurted before you could stop yourself, going red.

The dark-haired man raked a hand through his messy hair, setting down his teacup. He'd known he would have to face this question eventually, you were too curious a person to not ask it.

"Yes."

You balked at the simplicity of his answer, frustrated.

"Why?"

Sighing, Kuroo grabbed his papers and stood, striding over to a filing cabinet to the right and starting to sort them into varying folders.

"I wanted to do you a favor, and I saw that you had a degree in Child Psychology on your resume. You were clearly educated enough for the job, and your father had recently passed, so it just seemed right."

Taking your lip between your teeth, you chewed on that bit of information. 

It disappointed you that the job had been something of a hand-out, but you weren't about to complain about that to your boss.

"Ah." It was the best you could muster, and Kuroo looked over at you, a brow raised.

"Don't get me wrong, you seem great so far. If I'd met you in person, I'd have hired you on the spot even if I'd known nothing about you."

That made your cheeks heat up, especially as the man had the audacity to smirk.

"Plus, you make a mean cup of coffee. You've learned the French-press well, I have to admit."

"Well, I had a great teacher." You said playfully, gathering both of your empty teacups and heading for the door.

Kuroo watched you go wistfully, admiring the way you moved gracefully across the carpet, making no sound. You'd snuck up on him a few times in the last week, completely unintentionally; he hadn't expected to be surprised by you like that, and it amused him to no end.

You were really turning out to be charming.

A buzzing from his pocket caused Kuroo to blink, fishing his ringing phone out of his pocket to answer the call.

"Ellen?" 

The woman spoke on the other end in response, and Kuroo's expression soured as he took in her words.

"They're coming early?" A brief pause. "...Tomorrow?" 

After another short response, Ellen hung up, leaving Kuroo to slowly take the phone from his ear. He stared at the ground, dismayed at the news he'd just received. 

You returned from the kitchen, holding a package of unopened chocolate-chip cookies. 

"Hey, figured we should spoil our appetites with something sweet - what's wrong?" 

Looking at you, Kuroo saw concern in your eyes. You put the package down on his desk, turning to approach him.

"Tetsurou? Is everything alright?"

Taking a breath, Kuroo looked down at you.

His words certainly weren't what you were expecting to hear.

"My parents are coming to visit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the rather-long absence, my job started up a little while ago, and I've been pressed with schoolwork. I'm going to update as I can, and thank you for sticking around! :) I appreciate all the support, and love reading your guys' comments.


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